Discussion: GOP Rep. Jason Lewis Filmed Himself Canvassing Voters ... Outside His District

TPM Article Topics
21

Unfortunately, Andrew seems to have let despair and gaslighting get the best of him recently.

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See: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/politics/wp/2017/04/21/at-least-20-members-of-the-house-are-registered-to-vote-outside-their-districts/?utm_term=.e781ab196608

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There never has been a (national) law requiring Congresscritters to reside in the district they represent. They are required to be residents of the state they represent, as are Senators. Some gerrymanders have been done to keep a Congresscritter’s residence in the critter’s district.

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Director’s notes:
Flannel shirt out of place in suburban area - suggest Brooks Brother’s broadcloth with sleeves rolled up. Sleeves on plaid flannel buttoned at wrist not suitable for the weather on day of shoot.
House or houses- the bleak pre-fabricated McMansions send the wrong message - let’s scout a neighborhood in his district with a little more of a 1970’s feel in split-levels - yard maintenance?
Have candidate wave at child on bicycle - make sure child:
A) wearing safety helmet
B) caucasian

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25

Don’t we all know about Pat Roberts R-KS who lives in D.C. virtually full time. He stays with supporters in Dodge City when he does turn up so he’s obviously heeding the command to “Get out of Dodge.” It’s never stopped him from getting reelected either.

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Years ago I was addicted to the VFYW contest Even then he’d go off his rocker on the regular. And then, usually, he’d calm down and make a post more or less apologizing for his overreaction to whatever it was, or at least post reader comments calling him out.

Any more though, I guess, I just actively avoid his writing.

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He’s a lazy ass with a big mouth that attracts the Daddy Warbucks types and the guys that don’t like . . . well, much of anything that doesn’t have either a trigger or a Marsha Blackburn hairdo. Just like Ted Cruz.

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Why doesn’t this guy live in the district he represents?

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Great job on this story - and thanks for the pictures.

The WaPo article mentions “redistricting” as a reason some Reps live outside their districts. That’s not by accident.

LLoyd Doggett for one has been a recurring target on that front. At one point the GOP created a district that included parts of central Austin, and, 300 miles away, areas adjacent to the Mexican border in the Rio Grande Valley. In order to make the district contiguous, there were areas that were only theoretically transversable, and then only by foot. The hope that the majority-Hispanic McAllen/Austin district would reject a monolingual Anglo in the primary didn’t pan out for the GOP, but they did give it the good 'ol college try.

Anyway his current district has the lines carefully drawn to put him five blocks on the wrong side of the line. Given that those boundaries have been moved so many times in those perpetual court battles, he hasn’t moved.

I wonder how many of these cases are due to douchebaggery and how many are due to skullduggery.

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The comments under this tweet of his are really funny. Thanks for the laugh on a very tense evening.

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32

I’m wondering if the shirt had anything to say about this…? :face_with_monocle:

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I think that is a distinction without a difference … YMMV, of course.

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No; it’s down to the state but in many (most?) you only have to live in the state, not in the district. Tulsi Gabbard also doesn’t live in her district (her main Hawaii office isn’t even in the district). For one thing, that avoids being forced to move if the district boundaries are changed while you’re in office. That caused a mess in PA recently, I believe because there candidates are required to live in the district, and ended up with two incumbents campaigning against each other. Republicans also used that to their advantage in several states in the 2012 redistricting to force two Democratic incumbents together (even if it ended up with two likely D seats, it gives one to a new candidate with less experience and seniority).

OTOH, where I live, town council members are required to live in their districts (which makes sense), and one of the candidates turned out to live outside, and only qualified originally because she registered to vote using her husband’s business location as her home address. A little more digging turned up that she had another house (in a third district) listed as a “primary residence” for tax purposes, which is also illegal. So it can be abused…

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35

It is too bad that this comes too late for the D to do anything about it. Can’t get an ad up that quickly.

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There actually was a Congressman Jerry Lewis. From California, naturally.

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Breathtaking stupidity.

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538 gives his opponent a 6 in 7 edge so that looks like there will be one less idiot in the House next year.

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39

Projection. It’s the one thing repukes do well.

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Thanks for that clear explanation.

In Colorado, that’s also the case for County Commissioners (not sure whether it’s the practice state-wide), but all candidates are voted on ‘at large’. A convenient way to make sure that a minority of residents - no matter how large - rarely get representation.

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But just look at that folksy, down home, working class friendly flannel shirt! He must be the authentic candidate!

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